Consent guidance: Part 1: Principles

1. 1. All healthcare involves decisions made by patients and those providing their care. This guidance sets out principles for good practice in making decisions. The principles apply to all decisions about care: from the treatment of minor and self‑limiting conditions, to major interventions with significant risks or side effects. The principles also apply to decisions about screening.¹
2. 2. Whatever the context in which medical decisions are made, you must work in partnership with your patients to ensure good care. In so doing, you must:
   1. a. listen to patients and respect their views about their health
   2. b. discuss with patients what their diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and care involve
   3. c. share with patients the information they want or need in order to make decisions
   4. d. maximise patients’ opportunities, and their ability, to make decisions for themselves
   5. e. respect patients’ decisions.
      

Subsections:

Partnership (3 – 6)